Network backhaul access

ABSTRACT

A communication system can provide an independent mobile cellular network to devices within a covered area. In addition, the system can determine whether user equipment within a covered area of the communication system are to have backhaul access to another communication system and/or whether to adjust the point of presence of the user equipment.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO ANY PRIORITY APPLICATIONS

This present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/798,975, filed Feb. 24, 2020, entitled “Network BackhaulAccess,” which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/889,729, filed Feb. 6, 2018, entitled “Network Backhaul Access,”which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/204,810,filed Jul. 7, 2016, entitled “Network Backhaul Access,” each of which ishereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

A cellular network typically include multiple stationary antennas, basestations, or the like, in different locations that communicate with amobile telephone switching office (MTSO) and/or one or more core networkcomponents (generally referred to as the core or core network) that areremotely located from the different base stations. The MTSO or mobilecore determines how calls are routed between the base stations andenables the base stations to communicate with each other for handoverpurposes. If a base station cannot communicate (e.g., via a backhaul)with the MTSO or mobile core, or the rest of the network, allcommunications at that base station are lost and user equipment (UE) incorresponding network areas cannot communicate with other UE, even ifthe UE trying to communicate with each other are in the same networkarea. In addition, the base stations are built to be stationary so thatUE within a particular geographic area always have network access.

When a user moves from one network to another network, the mobile coresof the two networks communicate with each other to handle the handoverand other configuration details (non-limiting example: a core networkcomponent of the first cellular network communicates with a core networkcomponent of the second cellular network). In addition to communicatingfor handover purposes, core network components from different cellularnetworks may also communicate in order to route data (non-limitingexamples: voice data, video data, application data, control data, etc.)from a user in a first cellular network to another user in a secondcellular network.

Many locations throughout the world lack a network infrastructure thatwould enable users to communicate via a typical telephone or cellularnetwork. In such locations it can be difficult for users to communicateeffectively. Users must often rely on technologies that are moreexpensive, have lower bandwidth, or have limited use distances, such assatellite phones, half-duplex radio transceivers, etc. Furthermore,these locations often lack the resources to create the networkinfrastructure necessary for a cellular network, such as cell towers,base stations (or the like), switching stations, etc. In somecircumstances, such as war zones, etc., building the networkinfrastructure for such communications is not feasible due to thetransient nature of military personnel and equipment.

SUMMARY

One device that can be used to improve communications in suchenvironments is a mobile cellular network (MCN) communication system,also referred to as a network-in-a-box (NIB). The NIB can include all ofthe components of a typical cellular network, but residing in onelocation (non-limiting examples: co-located, in the same room,container, rack, area, vehicle, etc.). Further, the NIB does not need tocommunicate with other nodes, base stations (or the like), or an MTSO toprovide complete cellular network functionality to endpoints(non-limiting examples: UE, servers, etc.) within a covered area. Inaddition, as the NIB moves, the network coverage moves with it. The UEcan include, but are not limited to, cell phones, smart phones, tablets,computers, laptops, tracking devices, targeting devices, weaponssystems, and/or any electronic device configured to communicate with oneor more MCN communication systems. Thus, NIBs can create a cellularnetwork within a limited area that allows user equipment (or otherendpoints) within that area to communicate with each other. One exampleof a commercially available NIB, or MCN communication system, is theXiphos™ available from Oceus Networks.

Furthermore, in some embodiments, where multiple MCN communicationsystems provide multiple mobile cellular networks, they can communicatewith each other for handovers and data routing, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a MCN communicationsystem.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating multiple MCN communication systems andtheir respective coverage areas.

FIG. 3 is a data flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of a routineimplemented by a backhaul access component for adjusting a point ofpresence.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrative of an embodiment of a routineimplemented by a backhaul access component for providing backhaulaccess.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more MCN communication systems can be deployed in areas wherecellular networks are not available. As mentioned previously, each MCNcommunication system can independently provide a portable,self-contained cellular network for devices in respective coverageareas.

In some cases, multiple MCN communication systems can be networkedtogether to create a network of MCN communication systems, also referredto herein as a NOM, as described in greater detail in U.S. applicationSer. Nos. 13/972,112 and 14/264,297, entitled Mobile Cellular Networksand Mobile Cellular Network Backhaul, respectively, each of which isincorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The different MCNcommunication systems within the NOM or between NOMs, can communicatewith each other via a backhaul using a variety of communicationtechnologies, including satellite communication, microwave or radio wavecommunication, OFDM, WiMAX, LTE, etc., as described in greater detail inU.S. application Ser. Nos. 13/972,112 and 14/264,297, incorporatedherein by reference, and, in some cases, NOMs can communicate with eachother. As further described in U.S. application Ser. Nos. 13/972,112 and14/264,297, incorporated herein by reference, when networked together,some MCN communication systems can be configured as master devices orhosts and other MCN communication systems can be configured as secondarydevices, clients and/or relays.

In some cases, a UE can communicate with one MCN communication system(which can be referred to herein as the local MCN communication system),but can have a point of presence associated with another MCNcommunication system (referred to herein as the remote MCN communicationsystem). The point of presence of the UE can be an IP address associatedwith (non-limiting example: assigned by) the remote MCN communicationsystem, such as a specific access node or gateway of the remote MCNcommunication system, a DNS identifier associated with the remote MCNcommunication system, an access point name (APN) of the remote MCNcommunication system, access point identifier, a port identifier (e.g.,D-CSCF port), a max allocated rate for data transmission, such as uplink(UL) and/or downlink (DL), etc. The remote MCN communication system maybe the MCN communication system associated with the coverage area fromwhich the UE just moved from or it may be some other MCN communicationsystem.

By retaining the point of presence associated with the remote MCNcommunication system, the UE can continue to access applications,servers available via the remote MCN communication system (in some casesuniquely available via the remote MCN communication system). Inaddition, by retaining the point of presence with the remote MCNcommunication system, existing data streams can be maintained without abreak in communication, and communications to and from the UE can berouted between the local MCN communication system and the remote MCNcommunication system via the backhaul.

In some embodiments, a backhaul access component associated with thelocal MCN communication system can use backhaul access criteria todetermine whether to provide a backhaul link for the UE to the remoteMCN communication system. In certain instances, to preserve, or reducethe use of, the backhaul, the backhaul access component system canprovide the UE with a local point of presence. In some embodiments, byproviding the UE with a local point of presence, the backhaul accesscomponent can reduce or eliminate the amount of UE-related traffic sentover the backhaul to the remote MCN communication system. In addition,by providing the UE with a local point of presence the backhaul accesscomponent can disallow and/or prevent all backhaul communications and/orbackhaul communications with the remote MCN communication system.

In some cases, the local MCN communication can assign a local point ofpresence to some types of communications or data, while permitting theUE to use the remote point of presence for other types of data. Forexample, the local MCN communication can assign a local point ofpresence for data intensive communications, such as, but not limited to,streaming video, file transfer etc., while permitting the UE to retainthe remote point of presence for less data intensive communications,such as, but not limited to, voice and text data, email data, Internetdata, etc. However, it will be understood that the local MCNcommunication system can assign a local point of presence or permit theuse of the remote point of presence as desired. By selectively assigninga local point of presence based on the type of communications or data,the local MCN communication system can control the amount of UE-relatedtraffic sent over the backhaul. In addition, the local MCN communicationsystem can monitor the backhaul to selectively assign the local point ofpresence to the different types of data. If the backhaul satisfies thebackhaul criteria, the local MCN communication system can permit the UE(or certain types of data from the UE) to use the remote point ofpresence. If the backhaul does not satisfy the backhaul criteria, thelocal MCN communication system can assign a local point of presence tothe UE (or certain types of data from the UE).

MCN Communication System Overview

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a MCN communication system100 and at least some of its components. In the illustrated embodiment,the MCN communication system 100 includes a radio access component 150,which can be used to send/receive wireless communication to/from the MCNcommunication system, a control and data component 152, a data store154, and a backhaul access component 156. The MCN communication system100 can further include and/or can communicate with an antenna,satellite dish, and the like, to receive data from UE or otherendpoints, other MCN communication systems, satellites, and the like. Incertain embodiments, the MCN communication system 100 can communicatewith multiple eNodeBs, base stations, or the like, to increase itscoverage area. In addition, as mentioned above, in an IP networkarchitecture, the received/transmitted data can all be in the form of IPdata packets.

In some embodiments, each of the components of the MCN communicationsystem 100 can include an identifier, such as an IP address, MACaddress, etc. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, the MCN provided bythe MCN communication system can include one or more networkidentifiers, such as access point names, etc. In some embodiments,different types of data can be associated with different access pointnames. For example, voice-over-IP (VOIP) data can be associated with oneAPN of the MCN communication system, Internet data can be associatedwith a different APN of the MCN indication system, etc. Similarly, videodata, video data, audio data, file transfer data, text or short messageservice (SMS) data, multimedia or multimedia message service (MMS) data,etc., can each be assigned to a different APN, or grouped together inany combination on the same APN, as desired. In some cases, the use ofdifferent APNs can be based on network policy, such as, but not limitedto, treatment of different types of packets or data, treatment ofdifferent users. In certain cases, the use of different APNs can bebased on billing systems (e.g., the ability to charge for differenttypes of data), carrier grade redundancy (e.g., making data paths forsome type of data more resilient than others, such as to make voice datamore reliable than Internet data). Packets sent over the network can usethe network identifiers of the MCN communication system to identify theMCN communication that is to process the packet and/or that can access aparticular destination, etc.

In some embodiments, the MCN communication system can function in anindependent mode where communication with other MCN communicationsystems or a backhaul communication is limited or non-existent. In suchembodiments, upon receiving a packet of data, the first MCNcommunication system can refer to a look-up table stored in a datastorage device to determine whether a destination identifier of thepacket is within its covered area. If the destination is within thecovered area (non-limiting examples: an endpoint within the coveredarea, a component of the MCN communication system, etc.), the MCNcommunication system can transmit the data to the destination. The datacan include any one or more types of communications, including, but notlimited to, user plane data (non-limiting examples: voice data, videodata, e-mail, SMS data, picture data, files, requests for information,etc.) or control plane data. If the first MCN communication systemdetermines that the destination is not within its covered, the first MCNcommunication system can transmit a message to the source thatcommunication with the destination is not available, etc.

The MCN communication system can also function in a networked mode suchthat communication with a destination is available even if thedestination is not located within the MCN communication system's coveredarea. In some instances, the destination may be accessible via theInternet (non-limiting examples: via satellite or wired communication),microwave communication, LTE backhaul, or other form of backhaultechnology, etc.

As will be described in greater detail below, multiple MCN communicationsystems can be related together. In addition, in certain embodiments,when in the networked mode multiple MCN communication systems can beassociated together and/or networked together as described in greaterdetail in U.S. application Ser. No. 13/972,112, previously incorporatedherein by reference in its entirety.

Furthermore, when related together, the MCN communication systems canhave different functionality depending on their relationship with theother MCN communication systems. For example, as described in greater inU.S. application Ser. Nos. 13/972,112 and 14/264,297, incorporatedherein by reference, when related together, one of the MCN communicationsystems can be designated as a host MCN communication system or MasterDevice, while the remaining MCN communication systems can be designatedas client MCN communication systems, relay MCN communication systems,and/or Secondary Devices.

Furthermore, when multiple MCN communication systems are networkedtogether, a UE can move from the covered area of a first MCNcommunication system to the covered area of a second MCN communicationsystem without disrupting the service of the UE. As the UE moves fromthe first MCN communication system to the second MCN communicationsystem, the first and second MCN communication system can effectuate ahandover that updates which MCN communication system is the local MCNfor the UE. For example, as part of the handover routine the UE canestablish a first cellular communication link with the first MCNcommunication system and terminate a second cellular communication linkwith the second MCN communication system. Any MCN communication systemsto which the UE is registered (e.g., a registered MCN communicationsystem) can similarly update its routing table and any sessionidentifiers in order to continue providing a communication pathway orlink for the UE.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, the control and data component 152can be implemented using one or more computer processors, FPGAs,microcontrollers, etc., and can perform the various operations of theMCN communication system 100. In an IP network architecture, such as 4GLTE, the control and data component 152 can include a packet datanetwork gateway (PGW), serving gateway (SGW), mobility management entity(MME), and policy and charging rules function (PCRF).

The PGW can provide the IP traffic interface between the UE and externalIP networks. Together with the SGW, the PGW can route all IP packetsbetween the UE and the external IP network. The PGW can perform policyenforcement, packet filtering for each UE, charging support, packetscreening, quality of service, EPS network support, static policy, IPv4packet data network (PDN), and network address support. The PGW can alsoprovide support for mobility between 3GPP and non-3GPP technologies suchas WiMAX and 3GPP2, etc.

The SGW can route and forward user data packets, and work with the PGWto handle user data between the radio access component and external IPnetworks. The SGW can route the user data from the UE to the PGW or fromthe PGW to the UE, and provide support during inter-MCN communicationsystem handovers. For idle state UE, the SGW can terminate the downlinkdata path and trigger paging when downlink data arrives for the UE. TheSGW can also manage and store UE contexts, e.g. parameters of the IPbearer service, network internal routing information.

The MME can be responsible for attaching and detaching a UE from the MCNcommunication system and authenticating the user (by interacting withthe home subscriber server (HSS), described in greater detail below).Furthermore, the MME can be responsible for choosing the SGW and PGW fora UE, and can manage PDN connections. In addition, the MME can beresponsible for UE tracking and paging procedures includingretransmissions.

The PCRF can provide network control regarding the service data flowdetection, gating, quality of service, and flow based charging towards aPolicy and Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF) contained in the PGW.The PCRF can contain a database holding dynamic policy and chargingrules information for the MCN communication system.

Similarly, the control and data component 152 can perform the attachmentand detachment of UE, authentication procedures, gateway selection,managing PDN connections, UE tracking and paging, etc. The control anddata component 152 can also handle the user data between the radioaccess component and an external IP network, packet routing andforwarding, handover functions between MCN communication systems, packetbuffering initiation of network triggered service request procedures,quality of service policy enforcement, static policy, subscriberlocation management, subscriber data, and the like. In addition, thecontrol and data component 152 can perform additional procedures asdescribed in greater detail in U.S. application Ser. No. 13/972,112,previously incorporated herein by reference.

The data store 154 can include data regarding the UE in communicationwith the MCN communication system 100 and within the coverage areacorresponding to the MCN communication system 100, such as UE location,authentication keys, etc. In some embodiments, such as IP networkarchitecture, such as a 4G LTE network, the data store 154 can include ahome subscriber server (HSS). In addition, the data store 154 caninclude information regarding other MCN communication systems that areregistered with the MCN communication system 100.

The HSS can include subscription information for all UE (includingclient MCN communications systems that are registered as UE) associatedwith the MCN communication system, such as all the UE located within thecovered area of a MCN communication system and/or the UE located withinthe covered area of related or associated MCN communications systems.The HSS can store, for example, authentication parameters, securitykeys, and subscription information for UE within the MCN of the MCNcommunication system or associated with the MCN communication system.Furthermore, the HSS can include subscriber location information and beinvolved with subscriber data handling, authentication procedures, etc.

Similarly, the data store 154 can further include data identifying otherrelated MCN communication systems. In some cases, the data identifyingthe other related MCN communication systems can be used to communicatewith the other MCN communication systems.

The backhaul access component 156, which can also be referred to as anaccess module, can be implemented using one or more computer processors,FPGAs, microcontrollers, etc., and can perform various operations of theMCN communication system 100. In some embodiments, the backhaul accesscomponent 156 can be implemented as part of the control and datacomponent 154 and/or can be implemented separately. In some embodiments,the backhaul access component 156 can be implemented as a device that isseparate from, and communicates with, the MCN communication system 100.For example, the backhaul access component 156 can communicate with theMCN communication system 100 via a LAN or a WAN.

In certain embodiments, the backhaul access component 156 can be used toperform the various functions identified herein as being performed bythe MCN communication system. For example, backhaul access component 156can determine whether to provide a backhaul link for the UE to a remoteMCN communication system associated with the UE's point of presenceand/or provide (and/or cause the MCN communication to provide) the UEwith a local point of presence.

As mentioned above, a UE may communicate with a local MCN communicationsystem (non-limiting example: the MCN communication system that providesthe coverage area within which the UE is located) using the point ofpresence (also referred to herein as a remote point of presence)associated with a remote MCN communication system (MCN communicationsystem with which the UE is not communicating directly). The backhaulaccess component 156 can use various criteria, which can be referred toas backhaul access criteria, to determine whether to provide the UEaccess to the remote MCN communication system via the backhaul. Thebackhaul access criteria can include, but are not limited to, one ormore connectivity thresholds, priority levels, or identifications of theUE, type of data, amount of data, etc. In some cases, the backhaulaccess criteria can indicate that no traffic is to be sent over thebackhaul, that no traffic is to be sent over the backhaul to aparticular MCN communication system, server, or application, thatcertain types or amount of data can be sent over the backhaul, thatcertain users can use the backhaul, etc. In some cases, the backhaulaccess criteria can dynamically determine whether data can becommunicated over the backhaul based on any one or any combination of:data type, user identification, backhaul characteristics (availability,bandwidth, jitter, lag, etc.) and so on.

Priority Level

In some embodiments, a priority level can be assigned to a MCNcommunication system, UE and/or users. The different priority levels canbe assigned based on any one or any combination of rank of the user,security clearance of the user or device, geographic location of the MCNcommunication system, UE, or user, mission, time of day, sensor data,etc. For example, the UE associated with a team leader or squad leadercan be assigned a higher priority level than the priority level assignedto a member of the team or squad. Similarly, a higher priority level canbe assigned a UE or user with a higher security clearance than UE oruser with a lower security clearance.

In some embodiments, the priority level threshold and/or the prioritylevel can change over time based on an event, changing geographiclocation of the user, device, and/or MCN communication system, time ofday, mission, etc. For example, during an emergency, such as a firefightor natural disaster, the backhaul access component 156 (or some devicein communication with the backhaul access component 156) can increasethe priority level threshold, assign UE associated with users affectedby the emergency a higher priority level, and/or assign UE associatedwith users not affected by the emergency a lower priority level toreduce the amount of traffic over the backhaul. Similarly, during anemergency, the backhaul access component 156 can grant/deny backhaulaccess to affected/unaffected users based on their identity. As anotherexample, if a different user logs onto the UE, the priority level of theUE can change based on the identity of the new user.

In some embodiments, the priority level can change (or be assigned)based on the proximity of the UE to the MCN communication system, abase, checkpoint, other UE, the number of UE attached to the MCNcommunication system, etc. For example, the priority level can go down(or up) as a UE gets closer to other UE, the MCN communication system,the base, or a checkpoint. Similarly, the priority level can go up (ordown) as a UE gets farther away from a base, from other UE, or from theMCN communication system. Similarly, UE within a particular geographicarea can be assigned a higher priority level.

In addition, as the number of UE attached to the MCN communicationsystem goes up, the priority level of each UE can go down (or can goup). In some embodiments, the backhaul access component can assign asubset of UE attached to the MCN communication system to it a higherpriority level and the other UE a lower priority level in order tocontrol the amount of data sent over the backhaul. For example, if onlyten UE are attached to the MCN communication system, the backhaul accesscomponent can provide the same priority level to all UE. However, oncethirty UE (or some threshold number) are attached to the MCNcommunication system, the backhaul access component can assign differentpriority levels based on the identity or rank of the user of the UE suchthat only ten users (or some determined quantity) have backhaul access,etc. In some cases, the higher priority levels can be assigned based onan identification, such as a ranking or security clearance, of aparticular user, etc.

Similarly, the priority level can change (or be assigned) based on theproximity of the MCN communication system to a base, checkpoint, orother MCN communication systems. In some embodiments, as an MCNcommunication system moves closer to other MCN communication systems ora base, the priority level of UE associated with the MCN communicationsystem can be decreased or increased, as desired. For example, backhaulaccess may not be necessary when the MCN communication system is on baseor near the base, but become increasingly important the farther away theMCN communication is from the base or other MCN communications systems.

In addition, the priority level can change based on the time of day or amission. For example, if a mission takes place between 0100 and 0300,the UE associated with users that are part of the mission can beassigned a higher priority level during that timeframe.

In some embodiments, the priority level can increase or decrease basedon sensor data received from the UE. For example, if it is detected thata UE has experienced a sudden increase/decrease in acceleration orvelocity, perhaps due to an explosion or fall, the priority level forthe UE and/or surrounding UE can be increased. In addition, ifcommunication is abruptly lost (e.g., within a threshold amount of time)with a threshold number of UE within a particular area, the prioritylevel of UE within the particular area can be increased.

In certain cases, priority levels can be assigned to different types ofdata or different applications executing on the UE. For example, dataassociated with one application (non-limiting example: health monitoringapplication) can be assigned a higher level of priority than dataassociated with another application (non-limiting example: batterystatus application). Similarly, applications that are data intensive (orthe data itself), such as video streaming or file transfer can beassigned a lower priority level than applications that are less dataintensive, such as voice data, text data, email data, etc. As describedin greater detail above, the priority level assigned to the data canchange over time. For example, during an emergency, such as a firefightor natural disaster, the priority level threshold can be raised and/ordata not relevant to the emergency can be assigned a lower prioritylevel to reduce the amount of traffic over the backhaul. As anotherexample, if a different user logs into the UE, the priority level of thedata can change based on the identity of the new user.

The backhaul access component 156 can determine based at least in parton the priority level of any one or any combination of the UE, user,data, and/or MCN communication system whether or not a backhaul link tothe remote MCN communication system is to be provided. In someembodiments, the backhaul access component 156 can compare the prioritylevel of the UE, user, data, and/or MCN communication system with apriority level threshold. Based at least in part on a determination thatthe priority level satisfies the priority level threshold, the backhaulaccess component 156 can provide a backhaul link to the remote MCNcommunication system.

In addition, a priority level can be assigned to the remote MCNcommunication system or particular application and/or server associatedwith the remote MCN communication system, and access granted based onthe priority level of the remote MCN communication system.

Backhaul Connectivity

In some cases, the backhaul access component 156 can monitor thebackhaul link between the local MCN communication system and the remoteMCN communication system. In some embodiments, the backhaul accesscomponent 156 can monitor the various connectivity parameters of thebackhaul, such as, but not limited to, bandwidth, the number of droppedpackets or error rates, bit rate, throughput, transmission delay, speed,latency, jitter, quality of service, availability, etc. In certainembodiments, to monitor the backhaul link the backhaul access component156 can send query messages to the remote MCN communication system andanalyze the response messages. Additional techniques and parameters canbe used to monitor the backhaul link as described in greater detail inU.S. application Ser. No. 14/625,815, incorporated herein by referencein its entirety.

Based on the connectivity parameters, the backhaul access component 156can determine whether or not to provide the backhaul link to the UE. Forexample, the backhaul access component 156 can provide the backhaul linkfor the UE based at least in part on a determination that the monitoredbackhaul link satisfies one or more connectivity thresholds. Theconnectivity thresholds can be based at least in part on any one or anycombination of the connectivity parameters described herein.

For example, if the available bandwidth of the backhaul link does notsatisfy a bandwidth threshold, the backhaul access component 156 candetermine that the backhaul does not satisfy the connectivity threshold.The bandwidth threshold can correspond to a bandwidth level that isconsidered satisfactory for communication purposes.

Similarly, the backhaul access component 156 can determine that thebackhaul link does not satisfy the connectivity threshold if any one orany combination of the backhaul speed does not satisfy a speedthreshold, error rate of the backhaul link does not satisfy an errorrate threshold, the number of packets dropped does not satisfy a packetsdropped threshold, bit rate of the backhaul link does not satisfy a bitrate threshold, throughput of the backhaul link does not satisfy athroughput threshold, transmission delay of the backhaul link does notsatisfy a transmission delay threshold, quality of service of thebackhaul link does not satisfy a quality of service threshold,availability of the backhaul link does not satisfy a availabilitythreshold, latency of the backhaul link does not satisfy a latencythreshold, jitter in the backhaul link does not satisfy a jitterthreshold, the quality of the backhaul link does not satisfy a qualityof link threshold, etc.

In some embodiments, the backhaul access component 156 can use anycombination of the above-identified connectivity parameters or otherparameters to determine whether the backhaul satisfies a connectivitythreshold. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the parameters used can beweighted based on the type of communication, type of data, type ofbackhaul, etc. For example, if the data to be communicated is videodata, position/location data, and/or voice data, the backhaul accesscomponent 156 can weight the latency of the backhaul link greater thanit would if the data is e-mail data or only use a latency threshold todetermine whether the backhaul link satisfies the connectivitythreshold. As another non-limiting example, if the data is email data orInternet, data, the backhaul access component 156 can weight the errorrate or number of dropped packets of the backhaul link greater than itwould if the data is video data or voice data, or only use an error ratethreshold to determine whether the backhaul link satisfies theconnectivity threshold. As yet another non-limiting example, if thebackhaul is an LTE backhaul, the throughput can be weighted more thanlatency, whereas if the backhaul is a satellite backhaul, the latencycan be weighted greater than the throughput. Additional weightings orcombinations thereof can be used as desired.

In some embodiments, the connectivity threshold can change over time.For example, during an emergency, such as a firefight or naturaldisaster, the backhaul access component 156 can raise the connectivitythreshold (non-limiting examples: the bandwidth threshold, speedthreshold, the jitter threshold, the latency threshold, etc.) to reducethe amount of traffic over the backhaul. Furthermore in someembodiments, the connectivity threshold can be different for differentUE or data. For example, the connectivity threshold for a UE or datawith a higher priority level can be lower than the connectivitythreshold for UE or data with the lower priority level. In this way, thebackhaul access component 156 can control the amount of traffic over thebackhaul. For example, the backhaul access component, can incrementallyadjust the amount of traffic (non-limiting examples: by incrementallyadjusting the connectivity threshold, priority level threshold, prioritylevels of UE or data, and/or other backhaul access criteria, or anycombination thereof) until a desired amount of traffic or quality ofservice is reached.

Local Point of Presence

In the event the backhaul access component 156 determines not to providea backhaul link to the remote MCN communication system based at least inpart on the backhaul access criteria (non-limiting examples: thepriority level does not satisfy priority level threshold and/or theconnectivity threshold is not satisfied), the backhaul access component156 can cause the local MCN communication system to provide the UE witha local point of presence associated with the local MCN communicationsystem.

In some embodiments, as part of providing the UE with a local point ofpresence, the backhaul access component 156 can instruct the UE tochange its point of presence. For example, the backhaul access component156 can instruct the UE to reattach to the network, delete the point ofpresence associated with the remote MCN communication system, and/ordiscontinue use of the point of presence associated with the remote MCNcommunication system.

In response to the signal, the UE can delete the remote point ofpresence, reattach to the network and/or request a new point ofpresence, and/or discontinue use of the remote point of presence. Oncethe backhaul access component 156 signals the UE to adjust the point ofpresence (or as part of the signaling), the local MCN communicationsystem can provide the UE with a local point of presence. In someembodiments, the local point of presence can replace the remote point ofpresence and/or be used in place of the remote point of presence. Incertain embodiments, the UE can retain both the local point of presenceand the remote point of presence.

Furthermore, in some embodiments, to provide the UE with the local pointof presence, the backhaul access component 156 can cause the local MCNcommunication system to provide an IP address from a PGW associated withthe local MCN communication system, which can replace or be used insteadof an IP address assigned from a PGW associated with the remote MCNcommunication system. In some embodiments, when the UE requests a newpoint of presence, it can do so using an APN associated with the remoteMCN communication system. The backhaul access component 156 can providea local point of presence associated with the local MCN communicationsystem regardless of the APN requested by the UE. In this way, the localMCN communication system can provide network access to the UE, while theUE can be made to believe that it has attached to the requested APN.

In some embodiments, once the UE is assigned a local point of presence,it can lose access to applications and servers associated with (andpossibly unique to) the remote MCN communication system (including itsapplications, servers, etc.). For example, the UE can delete the remotepoint of presence or discontinue its use. In this way, the backhaulaccess component 156 can reduce or eliminate the amount of UE-relatedtraffic sent over the backhaul to the remote MCN communication system.In some embodiments, the backhaul access component 156 can still allowtraffic over the backhaul to other MCN communication systems or otherdestinations, such as other networks, the Internet, etc.

In addition, in some cases, the backhaul access component 156 can reduceor eliminate the use of the backhaul (to any destination) for UE withinits coverage area based at least in part on the backhaul accesscriteria. However, it will be understood that the MCN communicationsystem can provide communication links between endpoints within itscoverage area regardless of the backhaul access such that UE (or otherendpoints) within the coverage area can communicate with other UE,services, servers, and/or applications within the coverage area.

In certain embodiments, the UE can retain the remote point of presence,and use the local point of presence for some communications and theremote point of presence for other communications. For example, the UEcan use the remote point of presence for applications that are availablefrom, or unique to, the remote MCN communication system and the localpoint of presence for all other communications. In such embodiments,when the local point of presence is used, the UE can be unable to accessthe remote MCN communication system (or its applications and servers).

Furthermore, in some cases, the UE can include a local point of presenceand multiple remote points of presence. The different points of presencecan be used based on the network that the UE is accessing. For example,to access the local MCN communication system, the local point ofpresence can be used. To access a first or second remote MCNcommunication system, a first or second remote point of presence can beused, respectively. In this way, the UE can access to different MCNcommunication systems and corresponding applications, servers, etc.

In some embodiments, the UE may have multiple points of presenceassigned for different types of data (non-limiting examples: a point ofpresence associated with voice data, a point of presence for applicationdata, a point of presence for Internet data, a point of presence forvoice-over-IP data, etc.). Accordingly, in certain embodiments, theremote point of presence and the local point of presence referred toabove can be for the same type of data. As such, in some embodiments,when the point of presence of the UE is changed from the remote point ofpresence to the local point of presence, it can be for the same type ofdata. For example, a remote point of presence for application data canbe changed to a local point of presence for application data.

Data Flow

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an embodiment of multiple MCN communicationsystems 202, 204, 206, 208 and their corresponding coverage areas 212,214, 216, and 218, respectively. As described above, and in greaterdetails in U.S. application Ser. Nos. 13/972,112 and 14/264,297,incorporated herein by reference, the MCN communication systems 202,204, 206, 208, in some embodiments can be networked together to form aNOM.

In the illustrated embodiment, some of the coverage areas 212, 214, 216are managed by MCN communication systems 202, 204, 206 that are on theground. However, as illustrated with MCN communication system 208, theMCN communication systems can be located on a moving object, such as anairplane, drone 220, automobile, ship, boat, or other vehicle. As suchthe coverage areas can move with the MCN communication system.Furthermore, as illustrated, the coverage areas 212, 214, 216 areadjacent to each other, while coverage area 218 is not adjacent to anyof the other coverage areas.

The MCN communication systems 202, 204, 206, and 208 can communicatewith each other via any one, or any combination, of satellitecommunication via satellite 205, microwave or radio wave communication,OFDM, WiMAX, LTE backhaul, etc.

The illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2 further includes UE1 located withincoverage area 216, UE2 located within coverage area 214, and UE3 locatedwithin overlapping coverage areas 212 and 216 and moving towards MCNcommunication system 206. For purposes of illustration, the local MCNcommunication system of UE1 and UE2 can be MCN communication systems 206and 204, respectively. The local MCN communication system for UE3 can bechanging from MCN communication system 202 to MCN communication system206. In addition, for purposes of illustration only, UE3 can have apoint of presence (the remote point of presence) associated with any ofMCN communication system 202, 204, or 208 (remote MCN communicationsystem).

As described above, the backhaul access component 156 associated withthe MCN communication system 206 can determine that the point ofpresence associated with the UE3 is a remote point of presence(non-limiting example: is not a point of presence associated with theMCN communication system 206). Based at least in part the determinationthat a remote point of presence is associated with the UE3, the backhaulaccess component 156 can determine whether to provide a backhaul link tothe remote MCN communication system associated with the remote point ofpresence. As described above, the backhaul access component 156 can usebackhaul access criteria, such as but not limited to, a priority level,the connectivity threshold, etc., to determine whether to provide thebackhaul link. In the event the backhaul access component 156 determinesto provide backhaul access, the backhaul access component 156 can causethe MCN communication system 206 to provide a backhaul communicationlink to the remote MCN communication system.

However, in the event that the backhaul access component 156 determinesnot to provide a backhaul link to the remote MCN communication systembased at least in part on the backhaul access criteria, the backhaulaccess component 156 can cause the MCN communication system 206 toprovide the UE3 with a local point of presence associated with MCNcommunication system 206. As part of providing the UE3 with the with thelocal point of presence, backhaul access component 156 can cause the UE3to reattach to the network, delete the remote point of presence, and/ordiscontinue use of the remote point of presence. As mentioned above, bychanging its point of presence, the UE3 can lose access to services,applications, and/or servers available via the remote MCN communicationsystem and, retain access to some applications and/or servers over theInternet or other remote networks, and/or gain access to applicationsand/or servers that are available via the local MCN communicationsystem.

In some embodiments, the backhaul access component 156 can togglebetween allowing and disallowing backhaul access and/or backhaul accessto the remote MCN communication system. In some cases the backhaulaccess component 156 can make the change based at least in part on oneor more of the backhaul access criteria (non-limiting examples: a changeto the priority level or priority threshold or a change to a backhaulconnectivity parameter or threshold, etc.).

In some cases, based at least in part on changes to the backhaul orother backhaul access criteria, the backhaul access component 156 canprovide a backhaul link for the UE3 back to the remote MCN communicationsystem. For example, when the MCN communication system 206 becomes thelocal MCN communication system for the UE3, the backhaul may not satisfya connectivity threshold (non-limiting example: the latency of thebackhaul may not satisfy the latency threshold, the speed of thebackhaul may not satisfy a speed threshold, etc.). Based at least inpart on a determination by the backhaul access component 156 that thebackhaul does not satisfy the connectivity threshold, the backhaulaccess component 156 can provide the UE3 with a local point of presenceand disallow access to the remote MCN communication system and/orbackhaul.

Later, the backhaul access component 156 can determine that the backhaulsatisfies the connectivity threshold and can provide the UE3 with abackhaul link to the remote MCN communication system (or allow the UE3to use the backhaul for other communications). Accordingly, over timethe backhaul access component can allow or disallow backhaul access forthe UE3. Similarly, the backhaul access component 156 can use any one orany combination of the backhaul access criteria to determine whether toprovide backhaul access.

When allowing the UE3 access to the remote MCN communication system viathe backhaul after previously disallowing access, the backhaul accesscomponent 156 can cause the UE3 to reattach to the network (and thenallow the UE3 to receive a remote point of presence from the remote MCNcommunication system), delete the local point of presence, and/or usethe remote point of presence still stored on the UE3, etc. As mentionedpreviously, in some cases, the UE3 can store multiple remote points ofpresence to different MCN communication systems and use the differentpoints of presence depending on the MCN communication system,applications, and/or servers with which the UE3 desires to communicate.

Non-limiting Example Embodiments

Various example embodiments of the disclosure can be described in viewof the following clauses:

Flow Diagrams

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram illustrative of an embodiment of a routine 300implemented by a backhaul access component for disallowing access to thebackhaul and/or to a remote MCN communication system. One skilled in therelevant art will appreciate that the elements outlined for routine 300may be implemented by one or many computing devices/components that areassociated with the backhaul access component, such as an MCNcommunication system and/or one of its components, such as the controland data component 152. Accordingly, routine 300 has been logicallyassociated as being generally performed by the backhaul accesscomponent, and thus the following illustrative embodiments should not beconstrued as limiting.

At block 302, the backhaul access component determines that a UE withinthe coverage area of the local MCN communication system is associatedwith a remote point of presence associated with a remote MCNcommunication system. In some embodiments, to determine that the UE isassociated with the remote point of presence, the backhaul accesscomponent can compare the point of presence of the UE with one or morepoints of presence associated with the local MCN communication system.For example, if the backhaul access component determines that the pointof presence of the UE does not match any of the points of presenceassociated with the local MCN communication system (or does not fitwithin a range of points of presence), the backhaul access component candetermine that the point of presence of the UE is a remote point ofpresence. In some cases, the backhaul access component can compare thepoint of presence of the UE with one or more IP addresses associatedwith the local MCN communication system, one or more APNs, or otheraccess point identifiers, associated with the local MCN communicationsystem, one or more DNS associated with the MCN communication system, aport identifier associated with the MCN communication system, a maxallocated rate for data transmission associated with the MCNcommunication system, etc.

In certain embodiments, the backhaul access component can determine thatthe UE is associated with a remote point of presence based at least inpart on a handover operation with another MCN communication system. Forexample, as part of the handover operation, the other MCN communicationsystem can indicate that the UE is associated with a remote point ofpresence.

In some embodiments, the backhaul access component can determine thatthe UE is associated with the remote point of presence based at least inpart on one or more interactions with the UE, such as a request by theUE for an access point different from the access points associated withthe local MCN communication system area and/or a request by the UE foraccess to a remote MCN communication system, or an application and/orserver associated therewith (non-limiting example: an application orserver that is only accessible via the remote MCN communication systemor an application or server that is not accessible via the local MCNcommunication system but is accessible via the remote MCN communicationsystem).

At block 304, the backhaul access component causes the local MCNcommunication system to signal the UE to adjust the remote point ofpresence. In some embodiments, the signal to the UE can cause the UE toreattach to the network, delete the remote point of presence, and/ordiscontinue the use of the remote point of presence. For example, whenreattaching to the MCN communication system, they UE may flush or removethe remote point of presence and request a new point of presence fromthe MCN communication system.

In some embodiments, the backhaul access component can cause the localMCN communication system to signal the UE to adjust the remote point ofpresence based at least in part on one or more backhaul access criteria,such as, but not limited to, a connectivity threshold, priority levelthreshold, a user identification, etc. For example, based at least inpart on a determination by the backhaul access component that one ormore of the connectivity threshold and/or the priority level threshold,etc., is not satisfied, the backhaul access component can cause thelocal MCN communication system to signal the UE to adjust the remotepoint of presence. Furthermore, in some embodiments, whether theconnectivity threshold is satisfied can be determined based at least inpart on monitoring the backhaul, as described in greater detail above.

At block 306, the backhaul access component causes the local MCNcommunication system to provide the UE with a local point of presenceassociated with the local MCN communication system. In some embodiments,the local MCN communication system provides the local point of presenceto the UE. In some embodiments, by providing the UE with the local pointof presence, the MCN communication system disallows backhaul access tothe remote MCN communication system and/or all backhaul access. In someembodiments, to provide the local point of presence to the UE, a PGWassociated with the local MCN communication system assigns an IP addressfor the UE, which can replace an IP address assigned by a PGW associatedwith the remote MCN communication system.

In certain embodiments, to provide the local point of presence to theUE, the local MCN communication system provides the UE with the localpoint of presence irrespective of the APN requested. In someembodiments, the local point of presence and remote point of presencecorrespond to the same point of presence for the same type of data(non-limiting example: remote point of presence and local point ofpresence correspond to the point of presence associated with voicedata).

Depending on the embodiment, certain acts, events, blocks, or functionsof any of the routine 300 can be performed in a different sequence, canbe added, merged, or left out altogether (e.g., not all describedoperations or events are necessary for the practice of the routine 300).Moreover, in certain embodiments, operations or events can be performedconcurrently, e.g., through multi-threaded processing, interruptprocessing, or multiple processors or processor cores or on otherparallel architectures, rather than sequentially. Furthermore, fewer,more, or different blocks can be used in routine 300 as desired. Forexample, any one or more blocks from routine 400, described below can beused in conjunction with routine 300.

In some embodiments, blocks 304 and 306 can be combined. For exampleproviding the local point of presence to the UE can cause the UE toadjust its point of presence. Furthermore, in certain embodiments, thebackhaul access component can detect the UE within the coverage area ofthe local MCN communication system and/or can complete a handoveroperation with another MCN communication system. In some cases, thebackhaul access component can monitor the backhaul, and signal the UE toadjust the point of presence based at least in part on monitoring thebackhaul and/or a backhaul access criteria.

In some embodiments, after providing the UE with the local point ofpresence, the backhaul access component can continue to monitor thebackhaul and/or other backhaul access criteria and signal the UE toadjust the point of presence based at least in part on the monitoring.As such, the backhaul access component can alter between providingbackhaul access and not providing backhaul access. After not providingbackhaul access and then providing backhaul access, the UE can receive aremote point of presence from the remote MCN communication system inorder to reestablish the connection. In some embodiments, the backhaulaccess component can cause the local MCN communication system to signalthe UE to reattach to the network, delete the local point of presence,and or discontinue its use.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrative of an embodiment of a routine 400implemented by a backhaul access component for providing backhaulcommunications. One skilled in the relevant art will appreciate that theelements outlined for routine 400 may be implemented by one or manycomputing devices/components that are associated with the backhaulaccess component, such as an MCN communication system and/or one of itscomponents, such as the control and data component 152. Accordingly,routine 400 has been logically associated as being generally performedby the backhaul access component, and thus the following illustrativeembodiments should not be construed as limiting.

At block 402, the backhaul access component determines that a UE withinthe coverage area of a local MCN communication system is associated witha remote point of presence associated with a remote MCN communicationsystem. As described previously, the backhaul access component candetermine that the UE within the coverage area is associated with theremote point of presence in a variety of ways. For example, the backhaulaccess component can compare a point of presence of the UE with thenumber or range of points of presence associated with the local MCNcommunication system. If there is no match, the backhaul accesscomponent can determine that the UE is associated with a remote point ofpresence. In some embodiments the backhaul access component candetermine that the UE is associated with a remote point of presencebased at least in part on a handover operation with another MCNcommunication system, and access point identifier received from the UE,and/or anyone number of other identifiers received by the UE.

At decision block 404, the backhaul access component determines whetherto provide backhaul communication to the remote MCN communicationsystem. As described previously, in some embodiments, the backhaulaccess component can determine whether to provide communication usingbackhaul access criteria. The backhaul access criteria can include, butis not limited to an analysis of the backhaul, a security or prioritylevel associated with the UE, a user, and/or the data, an event, anidentifier associated with a user, etc.

At block 406, based at least on a determination to provide a backhaulcommunication, the backhaul access component can cause the local MCNcommunication system to provide a backhaul link to the remote MCNcommunication system. As discussed in greater detail above, thedetermination to provide a backhaul link can be based at least in parton the backhaul access criteria, such as a determination that aconnectivity threshold is satisfied, a security or priority levelthreshold is satisfied, etc.

In providing the UE with access to the remote MCN communication system,the local MCN communication system can, in some embodiments, allow theUE to use the remote point of presence for network traffic. In certainembodiments, data routed to and from the UE can be communicated to theremote MCN communication system via the backhaul. Furthermore, the UEcan access applications and/or servers that are available from, and insome cases unique to, the remote MCN communication system.

On the other hand, at block 408, based at least in part on adetermination not to provide backhaul access, the backhaul accesscomponent can cause the local MCN communication system to provide the UEwith a local point of presence associated with the local MCNcommunication system.

As part of providing the UE with a local point of presence, the backhaulaccess component can cause the local MCN communication system to signalthe UE to reattach, delete the remote point of presence, and/ordiscontinue use of the remote point of presence. The UE can use thenewly received local point of presence for future communication with thelocal MCN communication system. In addition, the local MCN communicationsystem can provide the UE with access to applications, servers, etc.that may be specific to the local MCN communication system. In somecases, the applications and servers available via a local MCNcommunication system can be similar to or different from applications,servers, etc. that are available via the remote MCN communicationsystem. In certain embodiments by providing the UE with the local pointof presence, the local MCN communication system can prohibitcommunication with the remote MCN communication system and/or reduce oreliminate UE-related backhaul traffic.

Depending on the embodiment, certain acts, events, blocks, or functionsof any of the routine 400 can be performed in a different sequence, canbe added, merged, or left out altogether (e.g., not all describedoperations or events are necessary for the practice of the routine 400).Moreover, in certain embodiments, operations or events can be performedconcurrently, e.g., through multi-threaded processing, interruptprocessing, or multiple processors or processor cores or on otherparallel architectures, rather than sequentially. Furthermore, fewer,more, or different blocks can be used in routine 400 as desired. Forexample, any one or more blocks from routine 300, described above can beused in conjunction with routine 400. For example, the backhaul accesscomponent can cause the local MCN communication to detect the UE withinthe coverage area and/or cause the MCN communication system to completethe handover operation with another MCN communication system. In somecases, the detection of the UE and/or completion of the handoveroperation by one MCN communication system can occur due to the movementof another MCN communication system away from the UE.

In some embodiments, the backhaul access component can monitor abackhaul link between the local MCN communication system and the remoteMCN communication system. In some embodiments, the backhaul accesscomponent can monitor the backhaul link, before, after, or concurrentlywith, decision block 404, or any other block of routine 400. Forexample, upon determining that the UE includes a remote point ofpresence, the backhaul access component can monitor the backhaul todetermine whether it satisfies a connectivity threshold. Based at leastin part on a determination that the backhaul satisfies the connectivitythreshold, the backhaul access component can determine that backhaulcommunications should be provided, and based at least in part on adetermination that the backhaul does not satisfy the connectivitythreshold, the backhaul access component can determine that backhaulcommunications should not be provided.

Furthermore, after providing the UE with a local point of presence anddisallowing backhaul link to the remote MCN communication system, thebackhaul access component can monitor the backhaul, and based at leastin part on the backhaul access criteria, provide the UE with backhaulcommunications to the remote MCN communication system. For example, thebackhaul access component can provide the backhaul communication basedat least in part on a change to at least one of the backhaul accesscriteria, such as, but not limited to, the priority level or prioritylevel threshold, user identifier, or the satisfaction of theconnectivity threshold, etc.

In certain embodiments, upon determining that the UE includes a remotepoint of presence, the backhaul access component can cause the MCNcommunication system to provide the UE with a local point of presenceassociated with the local MCN communication system. The backhaul accesscomponent can then determine whether or not to provide backhaulcommunications for the user equipment. For example, in some instances,based at least in part on backup access criteria, the backhaul accesscomponent can allow or disallow backhaul communications and/or the UEcan use the local point of presence or the remote point of presence fora particular communication. For example, for communications related toapplications and/or services that are unique to the remote MCNcommunication system, backhaul communications can be provided and/or theUE can use the remote point of presence. For communications related toother applications and/or services, backhaul communications may bedisallowed and/or the UE can use the local point of presence.

Non-limiting Example Embodiments

Various example embodiments of the disclosure can be described in viewof the following clauses:

-   -   Clause 1. A method for altering a point of presence of a user        equipment, the method comprising:        -   detecting at a first mobile cellular network (“MCN”)            communication system a user equipment (“UE”) within a first            covered area, wherein the first MCN communication system            independently provides a first MCN within the first covered            area;        -   completing a handover routine with a second MCN            communication system such that the UE establishes a first            cellular communication link with the first MCN communication            system and terminates a second cellular communication link            with the second MCN communication system, wherein the second            MCN communication system independently provides a second MCN            within a second covered area;        -   determining at the first MCN communication system that the            UE includes a first point of presence associated with a            remote MCN communication system other than the first MCN            communication system;        -   monitoring a backhaul communication channel between the            first MCN communication system and the remote MCN            communication system;        -   based at least in part on a determination that the backhaul            communication channel between the first MCN communication            system and the remote MCN communication system does not            satisfy a connectivity threshold, signaling the UE to adjust            the first point of presence, and providing the UE with a            second point of presence associated with the first MCN            communication system; and        -   based at least in part on a determination that the backhaul            communication channel between the first MCN communication            system and the remote MCN communication system satisfies the            connectivity threshold, enabling the UE to communicate with            the second MCN communication system via the backhaul            communication channel.    -   Clause 2. The method of Clause 1, wherein the point of presence        comprises at least one of an IP address, a DNS identifier, or an        access point identifier.    -   Clause 3. The method of Clause 1, wherein the first MCN        communication system comprises:        -   a first radio access component configured to receive first            wireless communications from the user equipment,        -   a first control and data component in communication with the            first radio access component and configured to process the            first wireless communications, and        -   a first data store comprising authentication data of the            user equipment.    -   Clause 4. The method of Clause 1, wherein said monitoring the        backhaul communication comprises communicating query packets        from the first MCN communication system to the remote MCN        communication system.    -   Clause 5. A method for altering a point of presence of a user        equipment, the method comprising:        -   determining at a backhaul access component that a user            equipment (“UE”) located within a first covered area            associated with a first mobile cellular network (“MCN”)            communication system comprises a second point of presence            associated with a second MCN communication system, wherein            the first MCN communication system independently provides a            first MCN within the first covered area and the second MCN            communication system independently provides a second MCN            within a second covered area;        -   based at least in part on said determining, signaling the UE            to adjust the second point of presence; and        -   causing the first MCN communication system to provide the UE            with a first point of presence associated with the first MCN            communication system.    -   Clause 6. The method of Clause 5, wherein said signaling the UE        to adjust the second point of presence comprises instructing the        UE to reattach.    -   Clause 7. The method of Clause 5, further comprising determining        that a priority level of at least one of the UE, a user of the        UE, or data generated by the UE does not satisfy a priority        threshold, and wherein said signaling is further based at least        in part on said determining that the priority level does not        satisfy the priority threshold.    -   Clause 8. The method of Clause 5, further comprising determining        that a backhaul link between the first MCN communication system        and the second MCN communication system does not satisfy a        connectivity threshold, and wherein said signaling is further        based at least in part on said determining that the backhaul        link between the first MCN communication system and the second        MCN communication system does not satisfy the connectivity        threshold.    -   Clause 9. The method of Clause 8, wherein the connectivity        threshold comprises at least one of a bandwidth threshold, a        latency threshold, an error rate threshold, a bit rate        threshold, or a throughput threshold.    -   Clause 10. The method of Clause 8, further comprising based at        least in part on a determination that the backhaul link between        the first MCN communication system and the second MCN        communication system satisfies the connectivity threshold and        that the UE includes the first point of presence, signaling the        UE to adjust the first point of presence, wherein the second MCN        communication system provides the UE with a third point of        presence associated with the second MCN communication system.    -   Clause 11. The method of Clause 10, wherein the third point of        presence matches the first point of presence.    -   Clause 12. A system for determining backhaul access, the system        comprising one or more processors configured to:        -   determine that a user equipment (“UE”) located within a            first covered area associated with a first mobile cellular            network (“MCN”) communication system comprises a first point            of presence associated with a second MCN communication            system, wherein the first MCN communication system            independently provides a first MCN within the first covered            area and the second MCN communication system independently            provides a second MCN within a second covered area; and        -   based at least in part on one or more backhaul access            criteria, cause the first MCN communication system to            provide the UE with a second point of presence associated            with the first MCN communication system.    -   Clause 13. The system of Clause 12, wherein the backhaul access        criteria indicates that all UE within the first covered area are        to receive a point of presence associated with the first MCN        communication system.    -   Clause 14. The system of Clause 12, wherein the backhaul access        criteria comprises a connectivity threshold, and wherein the one        or more processors are configured to cause the cause the first        MCN communication system to provide the UE with the second point        of presence based at least in part on a determination that a        backhaul link between the first MCN communication system and the        second MCN communication system does not satisfy the        connectivity threshold.    -   Clause 15. The system of Clause 12, wherein the backhaul access        criteria comprises a priority level threshold, and wherein the        one or more processors are configured to cause the cause the        first MCN communication system to provide the UE with the second        point of presence based at least in part on a determination that        a priority level associated with the UE does not satisfy the        priority level threshold.    -   Clause 16. The system of Clause 12, wherein the backhaul access        criteria comprises a connectivity threshold and a priority level        threshold and wherein the one or more processors are configured        to cause the cause the first MCN communication system to provide        the UE with the second point of presence based at least in part        on a determination that at least one of a priority level        associated with the UE does not satisfy the priority level        threshold or a backhaul link between the first MCN communication        system and the second MCN communication system does not satisfy        the connectivity threshold.    -   Clause 17. A first mobile cellular network (MCN) communication        system located within a first covered area and configured to        generate a first MCN for the first covered area and provide        first communication links to one or more first user equipment        within the first covered area, the first MCN communication        system comprising:        -   a first radio access component configured to receive first            wireless communications from the one or more first user            equipment;        -   a first control and data component in communication with the            first radio access component and configured to process the            first wireless communications; and        -   a first data store comprising authentication data of the one            or more first user equipment within the first covered area,        -   wherein the first MCN communication system independently            provides the first MCN for the one or more first user            equipment in the first covered area, and wherein the first            MCN communication system is configured to:        -   detect a user equipment of the one or more first user            equipment that includes a first point of presence associated            with a second MCN communication system other than the first            MCN communication system, and        -   based at least in part on one or more backhaul access            criteria, provide the UE with a second point of presence            associated with the first MCN communication system.    -   Clause 18. The MCN communication system of Clause 17, wherein        the backhaul access criteria indicates that all UE within the        first covered area are to receive a point of presence associated        with the first MCN communication system.    -   Clause 19. The MCN communication system of Clause 17, wherein        the backhaul access criteria comprises a connectivity threshold,        and wherein the first MCN communication system is further        configured to provide the UE with the second point of presence        based at least in part on a determination that a backhaul link        between the first MCN communication system and the second MCN        communication system does not satisfy the connectivity        threshold.    -   Clause 20. The MCN communication system of Clause 17, wherein        the backhaul access criteria comprises a priority level        threshold, and wherein the first MCN communication system is        further configured to provide the UE with the second point of        presence based at least in part on a determination that a        priority level associated with the UE does not satisfy the        priority level threshold.    -   Clause 21. The MCN communication system of Clause 17, wherein        the backhaul access criteria comprises a connectivity threshold        and a priority level threshold and wherein the first MCN        communication system is further configured to provide the UE        with the second point of presence based at least in part on a        determination that at least one of a priority level associated        with the UE does not satisfy the priority level threshold or a        backhaul link between the first MCN communication system and the        second MCN communication system does not satisfy the        connectivity threshold.    -   Clause 22. A method for maintaining a point of presence of a        user equipment, the method comprising:        -   detecting at a first mobile cellular network (“MCN”)            communication system a user equipment (“UE”) within a first            covered area, wherein the first MCN communication system            independently provides a first MCN within the first covered            area;        -   determining at the first MCN communication system that the            UE includes a first point of presence associated with a            second MCN communication system other than the first MCN            communication system; and        -   based at least in part on one or more backhaul access            criteria, enabling the UE to communicate with the second MCN            communication system via a backhaul communication channel.    -   Clause 23. The method of Clause 22, wherein the backhaul access        criteria comprises a connectivity threshold, the method further        comprising determining that a backhaul link between the first        MCN communication system and the second MCN communication system        satisfies the connectivity threshold, wherein said enabling is        based at least in part on said determining that the backhaul        link satisfies the connectivity threshold.    -   Clause 24. The method of Clause 22, wherein the backhaul access        criteria comprises a priority level threshold, the method        further comprising deter, determining a priority level        associated with the UE satisfies the priority level threshold,        wherein said enabling is based at least in part on said        determining that the priority level satisfies the priority level        threshold.    -   Clause 25. The method of Clause 22, wherein the backhaul access        criteria comprises a connectivity threshold and a priority level        threshold, the method further comprising:        -   determining that a backhaul link between the first MCN            communication system and the second MCN communication system            satisfies the connectivity threshold; and        -   determining a priority level associated with the UE            satisfies the priority level threshold,        -   wherein said enabling is based at least in part on said            determining that the backhaul link satisfies the            connectivity threshold and said determining that the            priority level satisfies the priority level threshold.

Terminology

Although generally described above as being related to MCN communicationsystems, it will be understood that the backhaul access component can beimplemented as a standalone device and can communicate with an MCNcommunication system and/or a component of a network to control accessto the backhaul. For example, the backhaul access component can beconfigured to communicate with a base station or a core component of acellular network, such as, but not limited to, a component of theevolved packet core (EPC) of a long-term evolution (LTE) system, etc.,or other type of wireless network. In such embodiments, the backhaulaccess component can cause the corresponding component to perform someor all of the functions described herein with respect to the MCNcommunication system.

Conditional language, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” or“may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understoodwithin the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certainembodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certainfeatures, elements and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is notgenerally intended to imply that features, elements and/or steps are inany way required for one or more embodiments or that one or moreembodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without userinput or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or steps areincluded or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout thedescription and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and thelike are to be construed in an inclusive sense, as opposed to anexclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of“including, but not limited to.” As used herein, the terms “connected,”“coupled,” or any variant thereof means any connection or coupling,either direct or indirect, between two or more elements; the coupling orconnection between the elements can be physical, logical, or acombination thereof. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,”and words of similar import, when used in this application, refer tothis application as a whole and not to any particular portions of thisapplication. Where the context permits, words in the above DetailedDescription using the singular or plural number may also include theplural or singular number respectively. The word “or” in reference to alist of two or more items, covers all of the following interpretationsof the word: any one of the items in the list, all of the items in thelist, and any combination of the items in the list. Likewise the term“and/or” in reference to a list of two or more items, covers all of thefollowing interpretations of the word: any one of the items in the list,all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in thelist.

Depending on the embodiment, certain operations, acts, events, orfunctions of any of the algorithms described herein can be performed ina different sequence, can be added, merged, or left out altogether(e.g., not all are necessary for the practice of the algorithms).Moreover, in certain embodiments, operations, acts, functions, or eventscan be performed concurrently, e.g., through multi-threaded processing,interrupt processing, or multiple processors or processor cores or onother parallel architectures, rather than sequentially.

The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, routines, andalgorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosedherein can be implemented as electronic hardware, or as a combination ofelectronic hardware and executable software. To clearly illustrate thisinterchangeability, various illustrative components, blocks, modules,and steps have been described above generally in terms of theirfunctionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware, oras software that runs on hardware, depends upon the particularapplication and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Thedescribed functionality can be implemented in varying ways for eachparticular application, but such implementation decisions should not beinterpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the disclosure.

Moreover, the various illustrative logical blocks and modules describedin connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implementedor performed by a machine, such as a processor device, a digital signalprocessor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), afield programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device,discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or anycombination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein.A processor device can be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, theprocessor device can be a controller, microcontroller, or combinationsof the same, or the like. A processor device can include electricalcircuitry configured to process computer-executable instructions. Inanother embodiment, a processor device includes an FPGA or otherprogrammable device that performs logic operations without processingcomputer-executable instructions. A processor device can also beimplemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combinationof a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one ormore microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other suchconfiguration. Although described herein primarily with respect todigital technology, a processor device may also include primarily analogcomponents. For example, some or all of the signal processing algorithmsdescribed herein may be implemented in analog circuitry or mixed analogand digital circuitry. A computing environment can include any type ofcomputer system, including, but not limited to, a computer system basedon a microprocessor, a mainframe computer, a digital signal processor, aportable computing device, a device controller, or a computationalengine within an appliance, to name a few.

The elements of a method, process, routine, or algorithm described inconnection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be embodieddirectly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processordevice, or in a combination of the two. A software module can reside inRAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory,registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of anon-transitory computer-readable storage medium. An exemplary storagemedium can be coupled to the processor device such that the processordevice can read information from, and write information to, the storagemedium. In the alternative, the storage medium can be integral to theprocessor device. The processor device and the storage medium can residein an ASIC. The ASIC can reside in a user terminal. In the alternative,the processor device and the storage medium can reside as discretecomponents in a user terminal.

Further, the processing of the various components of the illustratedsystems can be distributed across multiple machines, networks, and othercomputing resources. In addition, two or more components of a system canbe combined into fewer components. Various components of the illustratedsystems can be implemented in one or more virtual machines, rather thanin dedicated computer hardware systems and/or computing devices.

Any patents and applications and other references noted above, includingany that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporatedherein by reference. Aspects of the invention can be modified, ifnecessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the variousreferences described above to provide yet further implementations of theinvention.

These and other changes can be made to the invention in light of theabove Detailed Description. While the above description describescertain examples of the invention, and describes the best modecontemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, theinvention can be practiced in many ways. Details of the system may varyconsiderably in its specific implementation, while still beingencompassed by the invention disclosed herein. As noted above,particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspectsof the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology isbeing redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics,features, or aspects of the invention with which that terminology isassociated. In general, the terms used in the following claims shouldnot be construed to limit the invention to the specific examplesdisclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Descriptionsection explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope ofthe invention encompasses not only the disclosed examples, but also allequivalent ways of practicing or implementing the invention under theclaims.

To reduce the number of claims, certain aspects of the invention arepresented below in certain claim forms, but the applicant contemplatesthe various aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms. Forexample, while only one aspect of the invention may be recited as ameans-plus-function claim under 35 U.S.C sec. 112(f) (AIA), otheraspects may likewise be embodied as a means-plus-function claim, or inother forms, such as being embodied in a computer-readable medium. Anyclaims intended to be treated under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) will begin withthe words “means for”, but use of the term “for” in any other context isnot intended to invoke treatment under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). Accordingly,the applicant reserves the right to pursue additional claims afterfiling this application, in either this application or in a continuingapplication.

Disjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, or Z,”unless specifically stated otherwise, is otherwise understood with thecontext as used in general to present that an item, term, etc., may beeither X, Y, or Z, or any combination thereof (e.g., X, Y, and/or Z).Thus, such disjunctive language is not generally intended to, and shouldnot, imply that certain embodiments require at least one of X, at leastone of Y, or at least one of Z to each be present.

Unless otherwise explicitly stated, articles such as “a” or “an” shouldgenerally be interpreted to include one or more described items.Accordingly, phrases such as “a device configured to” are intended toinclude one or more recited devices. Such one or more recited devicescan also be collectively configured to carry out the stated recitations.For example, “a processor configured to carry out recitations A, B andC” can include a first processor configured to carry out recitation Aworking in conjunction with a second processor configured to carry outrecitations B and C.

While the above detailed description has shown, described, and pointedout novel features as applied to various embodiments, it can beunderstood that various omissions, substitutions, and changes in theform and details of the devices or algorithms illustrated can be madewithout departing from the spirit of the disclosure. As can berecognized, certain embodiments described herein can be embodied withina form that does not provide all of the features and benefits set forthherein, as some features can be used or practiced separately fromothers. The scope of certain embodiments disclosed herein is indicatedby the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. Allchanges which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of theclaims are to be embraced within their scope.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A method for providing backhaul communications toof a user equipment (“UE”), the method comprising: determining that a UElocated within a first coverage area of a first portable networkcommunication system comprises a point of presence associated with asecond portable network communication system, wherein the first portablenetwork communication system independently provides a first cellularnetwork within the first coverage area, wherein the second portablenetwork communication system independently provides a second cellularnetwork within a second coverage area; monitoring a backhaulcommunication channel between the first portable network communicationsystem and the second portable network communication system; and basedon a determination that the backhaul communication channel satisfies aconnectivity threshold, providing a backhaul communication link to thesecond portable network communication system.
 22. The method of claim 21wherein providing a backhaul communication link to the second portablenetwork communication system is further based on a priority level of oneor more of the UE, user, data, and/or portable network communicationsystem.
 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising comparing one ormore of the UE, user, data, and/or portable network communication systemwith a priority level threshold.
 24. The method of claim 23, wherein thepriority level threshold is based at least in part on a desired amountof traffic over the backhaul communication channel at a given time. 25.The method of claim 21, wherein providing the backhaul communicationlink to the second portable network communication system enables the UEto communicate with the second portable network communication system viathe backhaul communication channel.
 26. The method of claim 21, furthercomprising: terminating the backhaul communication link to the secondportable network communication system based on a determination that thebackhaul communication channel does not satisfy the connectivitythreshold.
 27. The method of claim 21, wherein said monitoring thebackhaul communication channel comprises communicating query packetsfrom the second portable network communication system to the firstportable network communication system.
 28. The method of claim 21,wherein the backhaul communication channel is a wireless backhaulcommunication channel.
 29. The method of claim 21, wherein theconnectivity threshold corresponds to at least one of a bandwidth, alatency, an error rate, a bit rate, or a throughput.
 30. The method ofclaim 21, wherein providing a backhaul communication link to the secondportable network communication system occurs while at least one of thefirst portable network communication system or the second portablenetwork communication system is moving.
 31. A system for providingbackhaul communications of a user equipment (“UE”), the systemcomprising one or more processors configured to: determine that a UElocated within a first coverage area of a first portable networkcommunication system comprises a point of presence associated with asecond portable network communication system, wherein the first portablenetwork communication system independently provides a first cellularnetwork within the first coverage area, wherein the second portablenetwork communication system independently provides a second cellularnetwork within a second coverage area; monitor a backhaul communicationchannel between the first portable network communication system and thesecond portable network communication system; and based on adetermination that the backhaul communication channel satisfies aconnectivity threshold, provide a backhaul communication link to thesecond portable network communication system.
 32. The system of claim31, wherein the one or more processors are configured to provide abackhaul communication link to the second portable network communicationsystem is based on a priority level of one or more of the UE, user,data, and/or portable network communication system.
 33. The system ofclaim 32, wherein the one or more processors are configured to compareone or more of the UE, user, data, and portable network communicationsystem with a priority level threshold.
 34. The system of claim 33,wherein the priority threshold is based at least in part on a desiredamount of traffic over the backhaul communication channel.
 35. Thesystem of claim 31, wherein the one or more processors are configured tocause the first portable network communication system to provide abackhaul communication link based on a determination that the backhaulcommunication channel satisfies a connectivity threshold.
 36. The systemof claim 31, wherein the one or more processors are configured toprovide the backhaul communication link to the second portable networkcommunication system to enable the UE to communicate with the secondportable network communication system via the backhaul communicationchannel.
 37. system of claim 31, wherein the one or more processors areconfigured to terminate the backhaul communication link to the secondportable network communication system based on a determination that thebackhaul communication channel does not satisfy the connectivitythreshold.
 38. The system of claim 31, wherein the backhaulcommunication channel is a wireless backhaul communication channel. 39.The system of claim 31, wherein the connectivity threshold correspondsto at least one of a bandwidth, a latency, an error rate, a bit rate, ora throughput.
 40. The system of claim 31, wherein the one or moreprocessors are configured to provide a backhaul communication link tothe second portable network communication system while at least one ofthe first portable network communication system or the second portablenetwork communication system is moving.